A Burnt Child Dreads the Fire
by hollyberry29
Summary: What do you mean 'we're the same,' I'm still alive!" Matt cried. Jonah pressed his palm to Matt's t-shirt clad chest, pale fingers spread over his heart. "Not here you're not..." Jonah whispered. Jonah/Matt SLASH Rated M for later chapters.
1. Prologue

Chemical smell…

Bleach?

No, not that strong.

Not acetone either.

Gasoline? No.

Burnt, like a hot wire.

Like a copper penny.

Like the air after a storm.

Like ozone.

* * *

Matt shot up in bed, only to find himself face to face with the answer to his most desperate prayers, or his most guttural fear; he wasn't sure which. Pale, wide blue eyes stared straight into his soul.

Matt didn't know whether to weep or scream. So he did both.


	2. I

Sarah scrambled for the bedside lamp at the fist blood-curdling shriek coming from her oldest son's bedroom.

"Matt!" She cried, untangling herself from the bed sheets and Peter's arms. Sarah ran flat-footed from the room and down the hall, flinging Matt's bedroom door open. She hit the light switch on the wall and gasped at what she saw. Matt's body was arched up off the bed, his hands clenched tightly in his hair. His eyes were wide open, tears streaming down his cheeks, mouth agape in horror.

Sarah flew to his side, shaking him roughly. "Matt! Matt, baby, Mommy's right here! Matt!" Matt struggled and thrashed on the mattress for a moment before gaining consciousness.

"Mom?" he cried shrilly, "Mom? Mom!"

Sarah gathered his still-too-thin body up in her arms, sobbing and rocking him, petting his wild curls.

* * *

Matt weakly opened his eyes, watching his ceiling fan spin for a moment. He glanced over at the clock. Five-forty-five. Two more hours until school started.

Matt rubbed his eyes, grimacing at the soreness and grit he found there. He felt as though he hadn't gotten a wink of sleep last night.

Last night.

Jonah.

Oh. _Shit_.

Matt jerked up, eyes roving about the room in panic. Desk, dresser, laptop, clothes hamper. No morgue. No burnt teenagers. No cadavers.

Matt fell back against the bed, boneless with relief. "I was dreaming…" he murmured. A soft knock at the door made him nearly jump out of his skin.

"Matt? Honey? Are you awake?" Matt gave a breathless laugh. _What the hell is wrong with me?_

"I'm awake, Mom," he croaked. Sarah opened the door, two mugs of what smelled like coffee in her hand. She was already dressed for work in her white blouse and gray pencil skirt. She placed the mugs on his nightstand before crossing the room to open the curtains.

"Did you get any sleep after… you know," she asked, opening the blinds to let the early morning light in. Matt nodded and picked at the lint on his PJ pants.

"Yeah, I guess," he said quietly. Sarah sat beside him on the edge of the bed.

"I wanted to check on you before I left this morning. I made you coffee," she said, taking a mug for herself. Matt smiled and reached for his cup, sipping carefully. Just how he liked it, sweet with a little creamer.

"Thanks," he said. Sarah rubbed his knee gently.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked. Matt shook his head.

"Nah, I'm okay. It was just the usual. Fire, bodies, the séance," he said, taking a long sip of coffee. Sarah sighed, tucking a stray curl behind his ear. She smiled lovingly.

"Your hair is getting so long. Do you want me to set you up an appointment to get it trimmed?" Matt shook his head.

"No, I kind of like it like this. Pretty soon I'll have a ponytail like Dad when he was a kid," he said, grinning. Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Oh, God," she muttered, kissing his cheek. "Have a good day at school, sweetheart," she said, standing to leave. Matt grabbed her hand.

"Hey, Mom? Um, is it okay if I stay home today?" Sarah frowned.

"Matt, we talked about this. I know it's been hard getting back into the swing of things, but-"

"It's just that I'm really tired from last night… just for today, please?" Matt hated using the night terrors card on his mother, but he hated his first period math class even more.

"Well… okay. Just for today. Do you want me to stay home with you? It's not too late, I can still call my boss," she said, petting his hair gently.

"No, it's cool. I'm just going to be sleeping anyway, I'm fine," He said. Sarah kissed his forehead and wished him a good day, closing the door quietly behind her. Matt curled up under the covers, drifting in and out of sleep, vaguely listening to Billy and his father bustle about getting ready for school and work. Matt sighed and gave in to sleep.

* * *

The boy watched Matthew Campbell sleeping contentedly from the desk chair beside the bed. He watched the thin, t-shirt clad chest rise up and down with each breath, perfect mouth forming words in his slumber. The boy leaned forward, much faster than the human eye could follow, until his lips hovered just above the other boy's. "Matthew…" Jonah whispered.


	3. II

Matt turned over on his side in his sleep, moaning. The midday sun was blaring through his bedroom window, waking him from the first dreamless sleep he had had in a good while.

"Fuck it, I'm up," he grumbled, reaching for his cell on the bedside table. Seven missed calls. One from Wendy, one from his friend Kevin, and five from his mom. Matt gave a crooked smile. She was such a mother hen.

The backlight on his phone dimmed, leaving the black screen. In it's reflection, he saw something in the chair beside his bed, behind him. Matt's heart stopped dead in his chest. It was a person. It could only be one person.

Trembling violently, Matt slowly rolled onto his back, tears threatening to spill from his eyes.

"What do you want from me?" he whispered, barely audible over the pounding of his own heartbeat. He could feel each hair on his body standing on end with the intensity of his terror.

Swallowing around the lump in his throat, Matt turned his head, raising his eyes to the chair. It was empty. Matt whimpered in hysterics, dragging shaking hands through his hair. "I'm losing my mind!" he hissed between clenched teeth. A gentle brush against his ear made him whip his head around on the pillow. His mouth was no more than five centimeters from Jonah's. Before Matt could scream, the ghost sealed his mouth over the other boy's, holding Matt's face in his cool hands.

It felt as though each of his nerves had been electrocuted, kissing Jonah. Everywhere the other boy touched went slightly numb, like when one's blood flow is cut off from a limb. Like frostbite or pins and needles. He was aware that someone or something was touching him, but could not register the temperature or texture… like his senses had been dulled.

Matt quelled the urge to vomit, squeezing his eyes shut tight and holding his breath while the other boy shyly nipped and tasted his mouth. The kiss ended just as quickly as it had started. Jonah pulled away, kissing the corner of Matt's mouth tenderly before rocking back on his heels beside the bed. Matt lay gasping, eyes still closed tightly.

"W-why are you here?" he choked, mouth still tingling like he had licked a live wire. Matt's fingers gripped the bed sheets until his knuckles were white. The ghost boy still said nothing. Matt opened his eyes. Jonah was crouched down beside the bed, watching Matt's face curiously. He was dressed in the same outfit that Matt had seen in him wear in The House. Brown wool coat and breeches, white shirt, leather boots. Matt flinched as Jonah reached out and cupped his chin, rubbing the pad of his thumb against his lower lip.

"You have a beautiful mouth, Matthew," he murmured. Matt could only stare incredulously as Jonah tipped his head and brushed his lips against Matt's once more. Matt jerked away, shoving the boy's chest as hard as he could.

"What the hell is going on?! Why are you here, in my bedroom?" he cried. Jonah shrank back towards the foot of the bed.

"I … forgive me," he murmured, nervously tugging at the knees of his trousers. Matt suddenly realized this was the first time he had heard Jonah speak. He had a soft New England accent. His mouth was held slightly lop-sided as he spoke, as if he had been treated for a cleft lip or split palate at some point in his life. Matt dug his fingernails into the palm of his hand until it bled.

"I freed you," he whispered, "And the others! What more do you want?" Jonah gave a sad smile and looked down at his hands.

"Your company."

Matt blanched. "M-my what?"

"Your company, your friendship," Jonah said, unbuttoning his coat and hanging it over the foot rail.

Matt could only stare in shock at the other boy. The DEAD boy. Suddenly feeling very faint, Matt fell back against his pillows, his clammy hands still clenched in the bed sheets. "Why didn't you pass on, Jonah? You should have passed on," he said weakly.

Jonah slowly reached out, laying a gentle hand on Matt's knee. Matt gasped as a jolt ran through his leg and up his spine. He jerked away from the touch, his dark eyes wide.

Jonah held his hands up in defense, fear etched across his face. "I'm sorry, Matthew!"

"Just get out! Just please leave! I can't take anymore _shit_, Jonah! I just can't!" Matt sobbed. A moment later he choked on his tears as a heavy, soft body pushed him into the mattress. The same jolt he felt earlier ran through his entire body this time. His very veins felt as though they were throbbing with electricity.

Matt cried out, whimpering when he felt something wet and slick laving the tears in the corners of his eyes. It was Jonah's tongue.

"I love you, Matthew Campbell; madly and completely," Jonah mumbled, catching Matt's lips in a searing kiss.


	4. III

Matt could remember the hallucinations and sensations that the chemo created when he was sick. The cold chills, the nausea, the fever blisters... He was starting to feel them again whenever Jonah was around.

Matt could only stare at the ceiling above him at the onslaught of Jonah's kisses. The dead boy stopped at the lack of reciprocation on Matt's part. He sighed and brushed a stray curl from Matt's cool, sweaty forehead. "I am sorry, I will go," Jonah whispered, pushing off of Matt's body.

Matt pressed his fingers to bruised lips, rolling over to face the wall. He could hear Jonah slipping back into his coat and boots. Matt trembled at the light touch on his hip. "Know that I am always here, should you need me, Matthew, and I do not mean that as a threat," Jonah whispered. Matt nodded, closing his eyes as the other boy pressed a kiss to his temple. Matt fell into a fitful sleep as Jonah walked to the window, fading into the sunlight.

* * *

"Matt! Ma-a-a-tt!" Matt jerked awake. It was Billy. Matt looked at the clock. Three forty-five. He was back from school.

"Yeah?" he shouted weakly.

"I'm home, but I'm going over to Andy's house, okay?" Billy called from downstairs.

"Okay, but be back before Mom gets home, it's your day to do dishes."

"Nuh-uh! It's Tuesday! Your day!"

Shit. "Oh yeah... never mind."

"Retard!" Billy laughed, slamming the door behind him.

Matt rolled his eyes. "Brat," he muttered affectionately, sitting up and scratching at his chest idly. He stood and padded to the bathroom, tossing his shirt into the hamper. Matt squeezed a dollop of paste on his toothbrush when he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. His entire torso was covered in light bruises. Darker ones circled his neck and wrists. His lips were also a lovely shade of lavender. The day's events came crashing down on him, just when he had blissfully pushed it from his mind. Jonah. Fuck.

"Great. How the hell do I explain this to Mom?" he growled, violently brushing his teeth until his gums bled.

* * *

Matt had just finished drying the last plate when his mother pulled up in the driveway. She had an armful of groceries. Matt quickly dried his hands and opened the door for her, taking a few bags from her.

"Thank you, baby," she said, kissing his cheek. "Did you get some sleep?"

Matt nodded and sat the milk and cheese in the fridge. "Yeah, I feel a lot better," he lied.

"Well, that's good. Now you will be well rested for school tomorrow," she said, raising one eyebrow. Matt knew that look. It usually meant, 'That was not a question, young man. Now get your ass on that bus and go to school.' Or something like that.

Matt grinned. "Yes, mom." Sara smiled and patted his cheek.

"That's my boy." Suddenly, she looked around the kitchen frowning. "There's no sound of chaos or sneakers in the middle of the floor. Where's your brother?" Matt snorted.

"He went to Andy's. He didn't say if he was staying for dinner." Sara sighed and took off her heels, heading for the stairs.

"Let's hope so, I don't feel like cooking. I'm going to go take a bath. Can you put up the rest of the stuff for me?"

Matt made quick work of the groceries and wandered up to his room. He paused just before the threshold, gazing anxiously at the bed.

'Come on Matt, you've been through worse. At least he's not trying to kill you like the cadavers...' No, he just wants to rape me.

Matt pulled at his hair, and forced himself to enter the room. He snatched a pair of boxers from his top drawer and locked himself in the bathroom, turning the shower to as hot as it would go.

He tugged his sleep pants down his hips and eased into the shower. He shampooed his hair and soaped up, stepping into the spray to rinse.

Matt felt his heart stop when someone grabbed him from behind. He was pulled flush against a body. A cold, naked body.

Cool hands made their way down his chest and wrapped around his waist. A mouth found its way to the shell of his ear. "Shh, don't be frightened; just breathe," Matt gasped in lungfuls of air, his fingernails dug into the rubbery flesh of the arms around him.

"Dammit, Jonah! You have to stop this," Matt growled, attempting to wriggle out of Jonah's embrace.

"Why?" Jonah murmured, loosening his grip on the other boy. Matt whirled around, pinning Jonah to the cold tile wall.

"You. Are. DEAD! And I just want to live..." he whispered brokenly.

Jonah slowly pulled Matt close, tangling his fingers in his wet curls. Matt gave in, burying his face in Jonah's damp neck.

They stayed that way until the water ran cold.

* * *

_A/N: One more chapter ought to do it! I'm sorry that I haven't updated in a while... Reality has kept me busy. Work, moving, etc. Fun stuff. I should have the final chapter up within the next couple of weeks. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed! Keep them coming, they make me work faster! ;)_


	5. IV

At some point, Matt must have blacked out, because when he woke, he was lying face down on the hardwood floor. Blinking stupidly, he pushed himself up to his knees and reached for the end of his mattress, only to have his hand grasp thefoot board.

His bed didn't have a foot board.

Matt jerked to his feet, looking around the room in a daze. This wasn't his room... this wasn't even his house! His eyes finally landed on a mural painted on the eastern wall. A blue bird on a tree branch. Matt's heart stopped dead in his chest. This was Wendy's old room back at The House. But that couldn't be possible... he burnt it down!

He turned his attention to a lump in the middle of the bed. The lump suddenly twitched and rolled over, the blankets regurgitating a boy about his age. In fact, he looked a lot like himself. The boy sat up in the four poster bed, yawning and stretching. He didn't even seem to notice Matt standing there.

Matt slowly backed against the wall, unable to tear his eyes away from him. The boy _was_ him, only not as thin and pale. What he looked like before the sickness. The boy stood and padded over to a dressing table, pouring water from a silver pitcher in a large ceramic bowl. He was wearing a long, white flannel nightgown, like they wore in the old days. In fact, everything in the room looked... antique.

The bedroom door suddenly swung open. It was Jonah. Matt gasped sharply. His double looked over his shoulder smiling.

"You're back rather early; I wasn't expecting you until this evening," the boy said, pulling his nightgown over his head and splashing his face with water from the bowl. Jonah just smiled shyly, averting his gaze from "other" Matt's nude body, and unbuttoning his navy, wool peacoat. Like "other" Matt, he was dressed in circa 1800's clothing. This Jonah was very much alive, with creamy skin and pink cheeks. "Other" Matt slipped behind him, whirling Jonah around by his worn fairisle sweater, standing on tip-toes and kissing his chin. Jonah sputtered and pulled out of the other boy's grasp.

"Gabriel! Put your clothes on! If the doctor were to come in-" Gabriel silenced him with a kiss. "Then let him see," he said coyly, leading Jonah to the bed.

A light touch to his shoulder jerked Matt out of his stupor. He turned to see Jonah. "His" Jonah. Confusion was etched across the dead boy's pale face.

"Matthew? Why are you here?"

* * *

Matt jerked up from floor of the tub, coughing up water from his lungs and scrubbing it from his eyes. He reached a shaking hand out and turned off the shower. Something hot and sticky was oozing down the back of his neck. He touched his hand to the back of his head. Blood. He must have slipped and hit his head.

A knock at the door woke him from his reverie. "Matt? Matt, I thought I heard a loud noise? Are you alright?" Sarah called.

Matt closed his eyes and sighed.

_No, I'm not alright._

"Yeah Mom, I'm fine. Dropped the shampoo."

His mother muttered something about clumsy boys and how he was going to slip and bust his head open in there one day (too late), and retreated back downstairs.

Matt gripped the hand rail and hoisted himself up, swaying from dizziness. He leaned against the tile and used the shower head to wash the blood from his hair. A lump was already beginning to form on his scalp. Matt toweled off and stepped out of the shower, wiping his hand on the foggy mirror. He should have worried him when he didn't jump at the sight of Jonah sitting on the edge of the tub.

"Are you alright?" Jonah asked quietly.

A sudden vision of Gabriel writhing under Jonah's body ran through his mind.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Matt growled, clenching the counter ledge tightly.

Jonah stared. "Tell you what?"

Matt spun around, hauling Jonah up by his shirt. "About you and me! Or Gabriel, I should say!"

If Jonah's eyes got any wider, they would have popped out of his head. "How do you know about Gabriel?" he whispered.

Matt sneered and released him. "I saw everything! One minute you were _molesting_ me in the shower, and the next, I was in The House, watching you and "Gabriel" play grab-ass! What the hell, Jonah?!"

Jonah fell weakly to his knees. "I... I don't know how you..." he looked up at Matt tearfully. "I loved him," he said brokenly.

Matt ran shaking hands through his hair, touching the bruise gingerly.

Jonah sat down on the floor, leaning against the tub and pulling his knees up to his chest. "He... had a blood sickness. He had contracted it as a child. The doctors called it-"

"Leukemia," Matt whispered.

Jonah nodded. "Yes," he said quietly.

Matt stepped out of the bathroom and unwrapped the towel from around his waist, tossing it into the hamper. He slid a clean pair of boxers on and turned to see Jonah staring at him hungrily from the bathroom floor.

"I can't be Gabriel for you, Jonah," he said quietly. Jonah looked down at his feet.

"I never wanted you to be."

"Is that why you found me?"

"I did not seek you out, Matthew. You came to me. Unknowingly and unwillingly."

"You _can't_ deny that he and I have some kind of... I don't know, connection!"

"Of course I can't, Matthew... Your face, your voice... there is no denying it. You and my Gabriel are one and the same. Like a phoenix risen from the ashes." Jonah picked at the grout in the tile flooring. "Sometimes I think this place is hell. And I am forced to watch the one I love plagued by that horrible disease... that cancer. And that I should live through all the ages to watch you die over and over again..."

Matt looked up at him. "You really had no idea that I was Gabriel in a past life?"

"I dissected human beings for a living, Matthew. I did not believe in such things as souls and reincarnation."

"Then it's fate."

"I cannot think of another word for it."

Matt nodded, picking at the rug with his toes. "I think I'm going to bed now."

Jonah stood and made his way to the door. Matt stopped him just before he passed through it.

"Stay?" he asked quietly. Jonah stared back at him before smiling and taking his hand.

* * *

A/N: Okay, I lied. There will be one more chapter, and it will be a lemon (rated M, NC-17, adult, WHATEVER), so be warned :P


	6. V

**A/N: This chapter contains MATURE CONTENT.** _It's basically PWP. Enjoy! :D_

_Previously..._

_"Stay?" Matt asked quietly. Jonah stared back at him before smiling and taking his hand._

* * *

Jonah tugged Matt into his arms, running a hand through his pretty curls and pulling his head back. He kissed a sloppy line, from Matt's chin to his neck, worrying the soft skin with his teeth.

"_Ohh_," Matt moaned, wrapping his arms around Jonah's neck as he felt his knees give. Jonah gripped his hands around each of Matt's thighs, just under his ass cheeks and squeezed. Matt gasped and instinctively clung to him, lifting his legs to wrap around Jonah's waist.

Jonah gave a little groan and rocked his hips. "Mmm..." he sighed, massaging Matt's bottom in in hands.

Matt choked out a sob. "Oh, _god_! Just fuck me! Touch me, _please_!" he wailed.

It all happening so fast, Matt wasn't really sure how he ended up on the bed. One minute they were kissing languidly by the door, and the next he was on his back with his feet in the air.

Jonah was pressed on top of him, peppering his neck and face with nips and kisses. Matt whined as he felt the other boys cool hand cup him through his shorts.

"Oh, God," he whimpered, "Jonah, holy shit..." Jonah pushed his t-shirt up under his armpits, kissing each pink nipple.

"Do you want me to take care of this for you?" he murmured, squeezing Matt's crotch gently. Matt jerked like a live wire thrust up into his hand.

"God, yes," he muttered, unable to stop his hips from grinding against Jonah's hand.

Jonah gave a wry smirk and pushing his knees between Matt's. He lifted Matt's hips and settled the firm cheeks of his ass against his own covered erection. He began a slow, grinding motion, fully intending to take his time with this.

Matt pushed himself up on his elbows and let his head fall back. His mouh gaped open at the intense feeling.

"Jesus christ, Jonah... I'm gonna cum..." he whimpered, spreading his legs wide. Jonah smiled and lowered Matt back down to the bed.

"Hold on, Matthew... You can in just a moment..." He lowered himself down on the other boy, scooting down so he was on his stomach over Matt's thighs.  
He could see the head of Matt's penis pushing against the fabric of his boxers, leaving a wet patch on the button fly. He mouthed the damp spot lovingly, sucking at the tip through the cotton barrier.

Matt was instantly sitting up, gasping for air, hands clenched in Jonah's dark hair tightly.

Jonah worked his tongue into the fly, laving around the tiny slit that was continuously leaking pre-come.

Matt came with a shriek, bucking his hips against Jonah's face. Jonah just held him around his waist, kissing his navel tenderly.

Matt fell back, panting, still thrusting weakly at the cooling, sticky mess in his shorts. Jonah sat up, reaching over to push Matt's hair out of his eyes.

"Wow, that wasn't embarrassing..." Matt grumbled, trying to hide his face in his pillow.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently. Matt nodded, a hot blush burning across his face and ears.

"Y-yeah," he stuttered, "It's just... I... ended so quickly." Jonah smiled.

"It's alright. You were perfect," he said, kissing his mouth. Matt looked up at him.

"What about you?" he asked, eying Jonah's crotch.

"This was for you. Sleep now, we have the rest of our days and more to worry about me," Jonah whispered.

Matt curled into Jonah's body and fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

_Review!_


End file.
